Improvement in cigar-formers



UNITED STATES PATENT OEETGE.

BENJAMIN EAwErNs, oE TEENToN, NEw- JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN CIGAR-FORNIERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 148,295, dated March 10, 1874; application filed January 14, 1874.

To all lwhom it may concern.'

Beit known that I, BENJAMIN HAwKrNs, of Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigar-Formers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to a device for forming and holding cigar-fillers while drying, and until they have become sufficiently consolidated to retain the shape given them in the machine, for which Letters Patent No. 127 ,7 64, bearing date June 1l, 1872, were granted to me, and in which a somewhat similar device is shown and described as being used for the same purpose; and the invention consists in improving the holder described in the abovenamed patent, by adding thereto a self-acting spring-catch, which holds the two parts of the device irmly together until they are released for the purpose of removing the cigar.

In the accompanying drawings, similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts in the different figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional view, showing the holder closed and the position of the springcatch. Fig. 2 shows the holder open and the position oi' the hinges which connect its two halves, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the device open.

A and A are the two semi-cylin drical halves of the holder, each having a cavity formed in the plane side of one-half the size of the cigar it is intended to hold, and which, when placed together, form a complete hollow cylinder, the two parts being connected at one side by the hinges B B, and, when closed, retained in. that condition by the spring catch C, which is formed of a metallic strip bent to the form of the cylinder, one end being secured to the part A, and the other having a' semicireular pro-A jection, D, which, when the two halves are brought together, enters a recess of the same shape formed in the part A', and retains them in that position until they are forcibly separated.

It will be seen that this form of springcatch enables the operator to take hold of the two halves, and, by the exercise of a small amount of force, to open them, as the peculiar shape of the end D of the spring-catch allows it to leave the recess in the part A upon being touched by the .hand of the operator; but it -is not necessary to touch the latch when closing the former, thus causing the device to be self-operating and preventing the loss ot' time caused by the necessity which has heretofore existed of placing a rubber band or cord about them.

It is not my purpose to claim a hinged flask or former, nor to claim such a device with a band or latch to close it; but, for the sake of expedition in closing, which is of vital importance to the success of the particular machine, or the class of machines in connection with which this device is primarily to -be used, the utmost expedition in automatic closing is essential, and facility in openin g is almost'equally desirable, and it is to meet this reqirement that the present improvement has been made.

I therefore claim- The cigar-mold, composed of the pieces A B, hin ged together and provided laterally with an automatic catch, for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

BENJ. HAWKINS.

Witnesses:

M. H. CHANDLER, -M. P. HAnwooD. 

